


Serpentine

by Glinda



Category: Doctor Who (Comics)
Genre: Canonical Lesbian Character, Community: dw_femslash, F/F, Interspecies, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-03
Updated: 2010-09-03
Packaged: 2017-10-11 10:48:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/111585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glinda/pseuds/Glinda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They say to truly understand someone else, you need to walk a mile in their shoes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Serpentine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ionlylurkhere](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ionlylurkhere/gifts).



> Thanks to [](http://livii.livejournal.com/profile)[**livii**](http://livii.livejournal.com/) for the beta. Written for [](http://ionlylurkhere.livejournal.com/profile)[**ionlylurkhere**](http://ionlylurkhere.livejournal.com/) for this comm's ficathon. Set at some point post-_Oblivion_ probably also post-_The Flood_ but I've not read that so...

They say to truly understand someone else, you need to walk a mile in their shoes. Izzy can almost hear Fey's voice in her head adding that at least if you still don't see eye to eye at that point you're a mile away and you've got their shoes. There's probably, Izzy thinks, a metaphor for Destrii's entire life philosophy in there somewhere. Except that now she recalls, as Destrii stands bold as brass and defiantly alien in the middle of Holburn tube station, Destrii doesn't do shoes.

~

It's probably all to do with attitude, but most people aren't giving Destrii a second glance. The bloke in the Transport for London uniform has certainly noticed her, given that they're having a loud argument about the best way to get to the Serpentine by Tube at this time of day and also the necessity of buying a ticket. Destrii is claiming exemption on the grounds of being a) royalty so not carrying any cash and b) being alien royalty so not understanding the currency even if she did carry it. Destrii's reluctant sparring partner was clearly not having any of it, though Izzy thought he should be grateful for the cultural concessions Destrii had already made today. That tight cotton shirt and skirt combo might not leave much to the imagination but the outfits Destrii usually favoured would have given the poor bloke apoplexy. It was probably that thought that spurred Izzy to intercede and rescue her, despite her better judgement. The fact that Destrii practically jumped on her with apparent glee at seeing a familiar face certainly didn't harm their case even if it did knock the wind out of Izzy. It wasn't every day that pretty alien girls – or for that matter pretty human ones – plastered themselves against her side, so the day was looking up already.

~

Once upon a time Izzy and Destrii walked a lot further than a mile in each other's skin; they still don't entirely see eye to eye. And the shoes don't fit at all.

~

Just because Destrii has deigned to adhere mostly to human clothing conventions while in central London doesn't mean she's going to keep it up for any length of time. The minute the river's in sight she discards both top and skirt to reveal her more usual bikini. Her casual flipping away of her clothes, mysteriously ensures her top lands square on Izzy's head. Izzy feels oddly smug that she doesn't even break her stride while freeing herself and swinging up the skirt as she passes it. She straightens up just in time to see Destrii taking a running dive into the water.

"Amphibians, no sense of public decorum," she mutters to herself with a rueful smile as she stakes out a patch of sun-warmed grass to stretch out on while Destrii re-hydrates herself. Far enough away to pretend she's paying no attention to her sort-of-friend's antics; close enough that she should be able to spot any hostile attention before any trouble starts. Izzy knows first hand the pasting most humans would get if they hassled Destrii but she has no desire whatsoever to have to bail her out afterwards.

~

By the time Destrii returns from her swim and flops gracelessly down onto the grass beside her, Izzy is fully engrossed in her book. Destrii makes little happy noises as she lies there, whether in response to the warmth of the sun drying her off or the grass she's wriggling about on is unclear.

"You know I'm pretty sure you're only meant to swim over at Lansbury's Lido," Izzy comments instead, glancing pointedly at Destrii's clothes still lying abandoned beside them. "They've got changing rooms and everything."

"Where's the fun in that? Nothing's half as much fun if it's _allowed_," responds Destrii derisively.

Destrii's eyes are still closed against the sun, so Izzy takes the opportunity to see how time has treated Destrii. It's been nearly ten years for Izzy but there's nothing to indicate so much time has passed for Destrii, though the aura of barely suppressed energy has receded somewhat so Izzy's willing to bet she's grown up a little bit too. Perspective is a strange thing, Izzy notes, taking in the long muscled legs and toned stomach. Destrii's body had seemed such an ugly, ungainly thing from inside, yet from out here it was quite – alright, she conceded inside her head while watching a droplet of water trail a path across Destrii's left breast down into her cleavage, very - beautiful.

"Don't tell me you've missed this body, Isabelle?" queries Destrii sardonically. One of her eyebrows is a perfect mocking arch when Izzy looks up, but because Izzy's not seventeen anymore and Destrii isn't the first attractive woman she's lain half dressed in a park with, Izzy doesn't even blush.

"Nah, I much prefer the view from the outside. Although," she pauses for a moment to give Destrii a slow smile and to trail her finger down an arm fin she remembers being particularly sensitive, "there were certain fun things to do with your body that I remember fondly."

"Is that an offer to show me the best of this city's night life then?" asks Destrii.

That is, Izzy suspects, as close to saying 'are you asking me out on a date' as Destrii gets.

"I'd be a bit remiss in my duties as your host if I didn't," she replies. Which is probably as clear as she can be about saying 'and you can stay at mine afterwards if you like' as she can be without actually saying it and either scaring Destrii off or insulting her pride.

"I think," says Destrii contemplatively, "I want a pair of those 'dancing shoes' I keep hearing about. Although stilettos are probably out."

~

The shop assistant looks between their linked hands and Destrii's feet dubiously for a long moment, before taking in their twin 'not impressed' expressions, shrugging and going with it.

"Do you know what size you are?" she asks, in a tone that implies these feet are not the strangest she's seen all day.

"I've only ever worn her shoes, and they were too tight," deadpans Destrii.

"I'm a six if that's any help," Izzy interjects cheerfully.

"Right, we'll start with a seven then," says the shop assistant clapping her hands together and making a swift exit towards the stock room.

"Wide fit please!" Destrii calls after her and it's all Izzy can do not to collapse into giggles.

Until this afternoon, Izzy could have sworn the part of her life when 'shoe-shopping with an alien' would be on her to-do list was long past, but she was oddly pleased and relieved to find that that wasn't the case  



End file.
